Blues, All Blacks utility back Stephen Perofeta set to join Yokohama Eagles

Monday, 11 May 2026

Blues and All Blacks utility back Stephen Perofeta is set to bolt for Japan at the end of this year.

In one of the least surprising revelations of the season, Blues and All Blacks playmaker Stephen Perofeta is set to join the offshore exodus.

At a time when large swathes of New Zealand rugby players of a certain vintage who are not a nailed-on All Blacks squad members are heading for the exit doors, reports indicate the oft-injured Perfoeta is ready to join them.

The 29-year-old highly respected backline utility, who covers both first five-eighths and fullback with equal ability, has been linked with a move to the Leon MacDonald-coached Yokohama Canon Eagles in Japan’s League One competition.

Perofeta is off contract with New Zealand Rugby at the end of this year and after battling through another injury-plagued Super Rugby Pacific season it appears he has decided the time is right to strike a deal offshore before the floodgates open after next year’s World Cup.

Perofeta has battled a problem calf injury over the last two years and struggled to put together quality time on the park, though he has started the last two Super Rugby matches at No 10 for the Blues after making a belated return to action this season.

He has played 78 matches for the Blues and 72 provincial games, including 65 in the NPC for Taranaki.

But the mercurial playmaker, at his best an attacking genius as good on his feet as anyone in the New Zealand game, has been restricted to just six appearances for the All Blacks since making his debut in 2022.

Sport Nation has reported he is set to be replaced at the Blues by Highlanders pivot Cameron Millar who will make room for the arrival of Josh Jacomb (from the Chiefs) at the southern franchise.

Perofeta joins a growing, and concerning, list of middle-tier New Zealand talent heading north. Others include Hoskins Sotutu, Dallas McLeod, Fehi Fineanganofo, Pouri Rakete-Stones and Xavier Roe (all England), Sevu Reece, Dalton Papali’i, Braydon Ennor, AJ Lam, Etene Nanai-Seturo (all France), Isaia Walker-Leawere (Italy) and Riley Higgins (Scotland).

Hurricanes flanker Devan Flanders is another confirmed to be heading to Japan.

The talented back has clearly seen the writing on the wall as far as his All Blacks prospects go, with Richie Mo’unga’s return and the rise of Ruben Love, alongside the already well-established Beauden Barrett and Damian McKenzie, likely to severely diminish his All Blacks prospects.

Those now become a non-issue.